The Night of the Spring Festival
by Ennah
Summary: Oneshot. NaruSaku. Naruto and Sakura had been together for over a year now and during the Spring Festival, Naruto decides to ask her to marry him.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.   
  
  
  
A/N: This is my first Naruto fic so I hope it isn't too bad. This fic takes place when Naruto's in his early to mid-twenties or something like that. The title sucks, I know but even after staring at my computer for ten minutes, nothing really came to my mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
The Night of the Spring Festival  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a late April night and many of those who lived in the Konoha village were gathered at the streets of where the Spring Festival was being held. Even those who were visiting the village for their personal reasons were there as well. The buildings on both sides of the streets were decorated with bright lights and practically every single shops were open, filled with people. Besides those who were there for the security, almost everyone was there to relax and enjoy themselves. It wasn't every month or even year that they got to attend such lively festival since it is only held every five years.  
  
  
  
Naruto sighed as he walked around the crowed streets, muttering an apology to those that he bumped into. He was holding a large closed box that people stared at in question every now and than but he couldn't care less. He was busy looking for Iruka who seemed to have either disappeared or not had come to the festival at all. Naruto had an important favor to ask of him and he seemed to be the only one that could and would help him.  
  
  
  
Grumbling, Naruto walked over to the side of the building so he wouldn't be blocking anyone and dropped the box before sitting on top of it. He had walked around the streets two times already and was getting very tired. "Stupid Iruka-sensei..."  
  
  
  
"Did you just call me stupid?"  
  
  
  
Naruto brightened at the sound of Iruka's voice and sprang up to his feet. He felt a great wave of relief washing over him now that he no longer had to search for him.  
  
  
  
"Iruka-sensei! I've been looking all over for you! Look, I really need a favor to ask of you..."  
  
  
  
Iruka walked over to Naruto with his brows raised. He was wearing the same clothes that he usually wore but he didn't have the head protector on him. It wasn't as if he had come to the festival to hunt down his students to teach them or anything so he had left it at home.  
  
  
  
Iruka was almost afraid to ask what but did any ways. "What kind of favor?"  
  
  
  
Naruto lifted the box on the ground and handed it to Iruka who just stared dumbly at it. It was quite heavy but not heavy enough that he would have any trouble carrying it.  
  
  
  
"The box is full of fire crackers. I need you to light them up exactly at nine tonight where me and Sakura-chan can easily see it by the bridge outside of these streets over there," said Naruto, pointing to a direction and without even giving Iruka a chance to speak, Naruto handed him a watch. Well more like shoving it inside his pocket since Iruka's hands were carrying the box.  
  
  
  
"Naruto... What are you up to?" said Iruka, giving Naruto a warning look.   
  
  
  
Naruto resisted the urge to sigh. He had seen that look on Iruka's face all too many times when he had been considered as the number one loudest ninja all those years ago. "Don't worry. It's not some stupid prank if that's what your thinking. Just please do this one little favor for me."  
  
  
  
"Why didn't you just ask someone else?"  
  
  
  
"Well since Sasuke thought festivals were dumb, he decided to stay home and I couldn't ask Kakashi-sensei since he's always late at everything and Shikamaru would probably be too lazy to do any favors for me and--"  
  
  
  
"Alright I get the point," said Iruka when he realized that Naruto could and probably would go on forever.  
  
  
  
"Than you'll do it?" asked Naruto, getting ready to pour fake tears if he needed to. Surely Iruka-sensei will agree to help him if he sees all those tears spilling out of his eyes. Although, Naruto wasn't exactly sure how he would be able pull that off...  
  
  
  
"Fine, fine. I didn't have much to do any ways," said Iruka and Naruto thanked him before walking off to find Sakura.  
  
  
  
  
  
-----  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shikamaru, where's Choji?" asked Ino as she dragged him down the streets, stopping every now and than when she saw something that she liked in the shops.  
  
  
  
"Stuffing his face with food. What else?" said Shikamaru, looking up at the sky to count the stars. He knew it was impossible but he was that bored. It wasn't as if he had ever wanted to come to the festival in the first place. The only reason he came was because of Ino's constant nagging about how she didn't want to go alone. Ino could get quite scary when she doesn't get what she wants so Shikamaru agreed to come with her without any protest. Well maybe a little.  
  
  
  
"Oh look! Don't you think that pin would look good on me? Too bad I forgot to bring any money with me though..." said Ino, glancing at Shikamaru with a smile that clearly told him that she wanted him to buy the pin for her. Good thing he didn't bring any money with him as well because there was no doubt in his mind that his wallet would become empty in just few hours.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Ino! Have you seen Sakura-chan?"   
  
  
  
Looking back, Ino saw someone with blond hair that she had grown to be friends with walking up to her. "Yeah, she's over there across the street," said Ino, pointing at Sakura who was currently with Hinata.  
  
  
  
"Great! If you don't mind, can you tell her to meet me at the bridge on that side? She'll know which one if you tell her," said Naruto, pointing to his right. "Thanks!"  
  
  
  
Ino blinked as she watched Naruto walk away. "I never said that I didn't mind. That idiot..."  
  
  
  
"Come on. Sakura and Hinata are walking away," said Shikamaru and this time, it was him that dragged Ino to where Sakura was. Hopefully, Ino would forget about the pin and not ask him for any money. Not that he had any...   
  
  
  
  
  
-----  
  
  
  
  
  
Naruto stood on the bridge, his arms resting on the railing while he twirled a ring around his right hand. After weeks of debating with himself, he had finally decided the night before to ask Sakura what he had been wanting to ask for quite some time. He was feeling very nervous at the moment and the thought of Sakura rejecting him was almost squeezing the life out of him. He loved her more than life itself and he knew she loved him too but... what if he's not good enough for her? He wasn't rich or raised in a good family, and he was also sometimes considered as nothing but a loud mouth. And worst of all, he had a demon sealed inside of him.  
  
  
  
Sakura and his friends had found out about the Kyubi few years back when one of the villagers had accidentally spilled it out. That villager had been drunk at that time but he ended up getting punished any ways. It had been a tough month for him with everyone avoiding him but things turned out just fine in the end. It wasn't as if he had really wanted to keep the secret but rather because he didn't want to lose anyone close to him. Everyone eventually understood and treated him the same way as before.  
  
  
  
"Naruto?"  
  
  
  
Naruto yelped at the sound of Sakura's voice and in an attempt to hide the ring, it slipped through his finger. It landed in the lake below the bridge.  
  
  
  
"Oh crap."  
  
  
  
"Ino told me that you wanted to meet me here," said Sakura, not noticing the look of pure shock on Naruto's face. "So what are you doing? Naruto? Hello?"  
  
  
  
Sakura waved her hand in front of Naruto who looked like he had just been spotted playing a tea party with a teddy bear in front everyone. Naruto did not move or respond to her so with a worried look, Sakura gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, is there something wrong?"  
  
  
  
Coming out from his daze, Naruto gave a nervous laugh. "Sakura-chan... Can you wait here for a minute?"  
  
  
  
Not waiting for her reply, Naruto jumped onto the railing before jumping into the lake, hoping that he would be able to find the ring before nine. The reason that he had asked Iruka about the whole fire works was that so he could propose to Sakura just before the sky would bloom with many beautiful colors. He knew Sakura liked fire works and even if she rejects him, he still wanted her to enjoy her night.  
  
  
  
"Naruto! What are you doing?" yelled Sakura as Naruto landed in the lake with a splash. Fortunately, the lake wasn't too deep or anything and only came up to few inches above Naruto's ankles.  
  
  
  
"I'll be right there, Sakura-chan," said Naruto, frantically searching for the ring. He knew he had only about a minute or two before nine o'clock from the extra watch that he had brought with him. Oh why, oh why did he had to drop the ring?  
  
  
  
"What are you looking for?" asked Sakura, gripping her hands on the railing. "Naruto, are you listening to me? If you don't tell me what your doing down there in the next three seconds, I'll jump in there! One! Two!"  
  
  
  
Naruto smiled as he touched something cool under the water. He lifted it up to the moon, making the diamond on the ring shine. It wasn't anything too fancy but he knew Sakura-chan would like it. That is if she doesn't reject him.  
  
  
  
"Three!"  
  
  
  
Naruto didn't even have any time to comprehend what was happening until he saw Sakura jumping over the bridge. She didn't get herself wet as he did and instead, she landed perfectly on top of the water with many years of experience of controlling her chakra.  
  
  
  
"What were you doing down..."  
  
  
  
Sakura seemed to have lost her voice as she stared at the ring that Naruto was holding up. Naruto noticed it and brought it down.  
  
  
  
"Ah, Sakura-chan, I... I mean you... will... ah, what I mean to say is... I dropped this in the water when you came and me being me, I... "   
  
  
  
Suddenly, the sky brightened up with brilliant colors, lightening Sakura's features. Naruto closed his mouth shut and he and Sakura both stared up at the sky. It was a delightful sight and Sakura clasped her hands together before brining her gaze down to meet Naruto's eyes. She smiled at him and he also found himself smiling along with her as he nervously shifted in his place. It was either now or never...  
  
  
  
"Sakura-chan, will you marry me?"  
  
  
  
The smile on Sakura's face grew even brighter than before and she leaped in her place before giving Naruto a hug. "Of course!"  
  
  
  
Naruto, not having been expecting the sudden hug, he lost his footing and landed in the water with Sakura on top of him. Sakura didn't seem to mind that her brand new outfit had just been ruined or that her hair was dripping wet with water as Naruto slipped the ring on her left ring finger. Nothing in the world mattered to her at the moment as long as she was with Naruto. 


End file.
